Breakdown
by NekoLen
Summary: Phantom has a nervous breakdown. Rolan, bless his soul, is confused. He doesn't understand why Phantom keeps acting so strangely and even Peta's explanation leaves empty holes in Rolan's questions as Phantom starts to dress up like a girl. PhantomXRolan
1. Outings

Outings

Rolan lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He yawned widely. There was a War Game on today, but Rolan wasn't needed, so he stayed in his room as he listened to the commotion outside. Cheering floated in through Rolan's open bedroom window. By the sound of it, Team MAR had just won one round.

Rolan smiled. _Good,_ he thought, _I can't wait to fight and show Phantom how strong I've become!_

He sat up and stretched. _No point sitting around, I should go train some more!_ he thought with a rush of euphoria. He got to his feet and rushed over to the set drawers at the end of his bed to brush his hair.

He stared into the mirror set into the wall before him.

His big sparkling red eyes stared back at him. He smiled.

"Hello there," he said to his reflection. "What's your name?"

Rolan chuckled to himself, feeling goofy. "I'm sorry. Your name must be Nalor..."

He shook his head, still laughing to himself as he turned his back on the mirror and strode to the window. He peered out of it and noted the weather. The sky was a greyish-blue but there was no clouds threatening rain.

Rolan walked back over to his drawers and pulled out some clean clothes. He got changed in an instant, and then opened his sock drawer. He hauled out a large shoebox, which he opened to reveal his glittering ARMs.

As he was getting these ready, a sharp knock sounded at Rolan's door.

"In a minute!" Rolan called over his shoulder, pocketing the rest of his ARMs and placing the box back into the drawer.

He skipped to the door and opened it to reveal Phantom.

Phantom leant against the door's frame, smiling. When he saw Rolan his smile became wider.

"Hello there, my boy! How are you?" Phantom asked. Rolan smiled up at his father-figure.

"I'm fully refreshed and rearing to go!" he squeaked in reply.

"What are you up to today?" Phantom questioned him.

"Well... I was thinking... since it's such a fine day... Well, I was thinking about going out to train," answered, jumping foot to foot resolutely.

"I'm pleased with your commitment and enthusiasm, Rolan, but didn't you train yesterday?" Phantom enquired innocently. Rolan stood still and raised an eyebrow.

"Of course! AND the day before yesterday AND the day before that one! I AM battling Team MAR soon."

Phantom laughed and ruffled up Rolan's hair.

"So committed..." he said softly. He walked into Rolan's room and sat lightly on Rolan's bed. He crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knee. "I was just thinking... instead of training today, why don't you have a rest?" Phantom said in a straightforward tone.

"But... Phantom, I need to be at my strongest for my battle... I want to win!" Rolan exclaimed. Phantom merely chuckled.

"But Rolan, my boy, you've trained for weeks on end! I believe you are strong enough to defeat Team MAR single-handedly, so why don't you have a day off? We could go for a walk in the park... or maybe go to the movies..." Phantom suggested.

Rolan stood, dumbstruck. _Phantom doesn't want me to train? What's wrong with him? He ALWAYS wants me to train!_ he thought, his mouth gaping open like a fish.

"But... Phantom! I NEED to train!" he gasped, his red eyes wide with shock. Phantom stood to his feet, looking suddenly furious. He swept up to Rolan and placed a hand around Rolan's neck and held him with an iron grip.

"You will not train today, but instead, come out with me," he hissed, his face only inches away from Rolan's.

"O...o... okay... Ph... Ph... Phantom!" Rolan spluttered, trying to breathe.

Phantom let go of Rolan's neck and beamed.

"That's a good boy... I'll meet you in the throne room in one hour... I'll see you then," he said, and with that he left the room.

Rolan stood, panting.

_Now what?_ he thought, frowning.

* * *

The day turned out to be bright and sunny as Rolan walked next to Phantom. Together they walked through a field of purple tulips.

Rolan said nothing. He was terrified of how Phantom had treated him this morning. As he thought about this, a memory of his mother and father buzzed like a bee in his mind.

* * *

For years, Rolan believed his parents loved him dearly, but as he was nearing the age of six, he started to notice something... His parents, once full of smiles and hugs, started to hate him. When they smiled at Rolan, their eyes stayed cold and filled with an abhorrence that pierced his heart. He decided to leave them. He didn't want to pressure them into caring for him, if they didn't really love him...

S he ran away. He thought it would be easy, living on the streets, but he was proved wrong. He starved all day, froze in the cold winter's nights, got beat up by the other street kids and was picked upon by the adults.

And what happened on that fateful day almost killed Rolan. He remembered it the most easily, for it was the turning point in his life, the one day where he had a decision to make... And he chose to follow Phantom and learn hard to become a Chess Piece.

* * *

"Phantom?" Rolan questioned, breaking the odd silence that had spread its wings between them. Phantom continued to look ahead, as if transfixed by some long forgotten emotion.

"Phantom?" Rolan asked louder this time. Phantom started and looked down upon Rolan, smiling.

"What is it?" Phantom asked, masking his face with a sweet fatherly sort of smile. Rolan felt nervous as Phantom's pupil-less eyes bored into his own.

"Why did you save me? All those years ago... Why did you rescue me off the streets?" Rolan interrogated.

"Because... Rolan, you must understand my position back then. I had to recruit many Chess... and I preferred for them to all be like me... Meaning they were all outsiders or all had the same dream... We ALL share the dream of ruling MAR, but we all have different reasons why we do... I mean..." Phantom stopped walking and turned to face Rolan. "Why are YOU a Chess Piece?" he asked with a smirk.

Rolan pondered on that question for a while under the penetrating stare of Phantom.

"I guess... it was to repay my debt to YOU," he replied, "but now... Being a Chess Piece is... well, sort of PROVING myself to the world that I CAN look after myself..." He smiled. "Why are YOU a Chess Piece?" he shot the question back at Phantom. Phantom looked startled and laughed nervously.

"Because, Rolan... I hate the scum that have spread across MARHeaven like a ravenous plague... I'm the saviour of this land. After destroying the weak and recruiting the powerful, the Chess can govern this land under the all might King and Queen!" he ranted, his eyes popping slightly as his true insanity ripped through his cloth mask of smiles and sanity.

Rolan cringed, his eyes full of fear. Phantom threw back his head and laughed maniacally.

"Once we rule this world, nothing can stop us ruling the next!" Phantom cried.

"Phantom?" Rolan squeaked, cowering from the crazed man. Phantom snapped out of it and smiled at Rolan as if he didn't just go completely nuts.

"Let's forget that happened... Okay?" he said awkwardly, wiping his mouth clean of spittle.

"Ur..." Rolan began.

"No. Let's just get to where we're going, okay?"

"Erm... okay then," Rolan replied. Phantom smiled and turned around. Rolan watched him walk away before he rushed to catch up with him.


	2. Nervous Breakdown

Nervous Breakdown

Rolan watched Phantom closely as they sat in the park. He was again lost in thought.

"Phantom? What you thinking?" Rolan asked him cautiously.

"About lots of things..." Phantom replied in a faraway voice.

"About what?"

"About life... death... war... love... peace... destruction... insanity and thinking..."

"Ur... interesting... Erm... what did you mean by... 'Thinking'?" Rolan asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Have you ever wondered how thoughts work? You hear them clearly in your mind, as loud as if you were talking, but you can't hear them... they're just THERE... they just EXIST... And if you spoke another language... do you think in that language?" Phantom laughed and smiled. "I'm sorry... Peta's thoughts are rubbing off on me... All this philosophy stuff..." He rubbed his eyes and looked down at Rolan. "You're such a sweetie, did you know that?"

Rolan blushed, his rosy cheeks becoming redder.

"Ur... thank you?" he answered, not sure if Phantom was complimenting him or not.

"I'm happy that you chose to stay with me... You could've left whenever you wanted, but you stayed..." Phantom sniffed, making Rolan jump and look up at him. He was crying.

"Ur... Phantom!?" Rolan gasped. He had never seen Phantom cry before, he just didn't get it. Phantom gave him a weak smile and wiped his nose on his bandaged arm.

"Why are you crying?" Rolan squeaked, moving closer to Phantom. "You NEVER cry!"

It was Phantom's turn to blush. "I know... I just... Just ignore it... It's just... I've been so..." he muttered.

Rolan wildly glanced around the park. The last thing he needed was Phantom being caught crying by his enemies... or worse... a fellow Chess Piece. "Phantom... could you... save it for when we are back home?" Rolan said, wiping the tears from Phantom's face. "We don't want people to see you... like this..."

"Are you shocked? Shocked to see the all-powerful Phantom show his emotions? Shocked to know I can cry? Shocked at how WEAK I am!?" Phantom rambled, standing up and grabbing Phantom's arm.

"What is this all about?" he demanded.

"Rolan... I'm weak... I hate this body..." he uttered, shaking his head hopelessly. "Rolan... I'm going to die... for good this time... I can feel it... It's useless..."

"What are you on about, Phantom? Why are you speaking like this? This is NOT you, Phantom... This is NOT AT ALL like you!" Rolan cried, clutching the man's shoulders and shaking him roughly, trying to snap him out of his delusional state of mind. "Stop it, Phantom! Please, for the love of God, PLEASE cut it out!" he screamed. He just didn't want his idol... his FATHER to be acting like this... No, Phantom was supposed to be cool, calm and collected... powerful and emotionless... So why was he sobbing uncontrollably in Rolan's arms now?

"Rol... Rolan... I'm... ill... Take me home," Phantom hiccoughed, cowering in Rolan's arms like a frightened child. This scared Rolan senseless. _Has he lost his mind?_ he questioned himself as he staggered up the path with Phantom in his arms. _It can't be true..._

* * *

After putting Phantom to bed, Peta took Rolan aside and questioned him in his study.

Peta sat on a red leather armchair behind a large oak-wooden desk. Rolan sat before him, nervously perched on a rickety old stool.

He tried to avoid eye contact with the achromatic man before him. Instead, Rolan glanced around the claustrophobic room, studying the bookshelves that lined the pale-coloured walls. His red eyes caught sight of a peculiar thick tome. It sat open, on the shelf beside Rolan. Rolan noticed the letters printed on its yellowing pages didn't form words that Rolan could understand. He realised that the letters themselves weren't your average 'A's or 'Z's, but they looked like some sort of strange runes.

"Rolan... Do you know why I brought you here?" Peta questioned, making Rolan start as he had briefly forgotten about Peta being there. Rolan turned his head to face the pointy-hat wearing man.

Rolan felt like a student that was sent up to see the principal because he had done something wrong. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and slowly shrugged his shoulders.

Peta placed his elbows on the desk and leant in, making Rolan lean backwards, lose his balance and then fall gracelessly off the stool. He blushed furiously as he picked himself the ground and brushed himself off. He glared at Peta and shivered. Peta was staring at him with his wide blank eyes and the bottom half of his face was filled with his toothy grin.

"Rolan... You are here because I want to ask you a question..." Peta said after a while of silence where he seemed to shake with silent laughter. "The question is this: Why did Phantom have a nervous breakdown?"

Rolan blinked in confusion. "A nervous... what?"

"A nervous breakdown... It's when... well... it's when... How to explain this to someone like you..." Peta stammered under his breath. "A nervous breakdown is when you get really stressed and you suppress until you... well... you sort of explode."

Rolan's eyes widened. "You... you EXPLODE?!" he gasped, covering his mouth, tears starting to form again. "Phantom exploded?!" he asked breathlessly.

Peta frowned. "No! You got me wrong! I meant that all the emotions that he suppressed, that is, kept to himself, just rushed forth and burst out of him... like a sort of volcanic eruption..." he explained himself.

"So... Phantom just let his emotions out and couldn't control himself?" Rolan guessed. Peta nodded. "Ooh... So that's why he just started being upset, then?"

"Why DID he get upset?" Peta asked again.

"Ur... Well... he said something about dying... Really, Peta, I have no idea WHY he started crying in the first place..." Rolan tried to explain, his eyes wide and shiny. Peta went quiet. Rolan watched the pallid greyish-skinned man closely, wondering about Phantom and his random, out-of-character outburst of sorrow.

"Will he be okay?" he asked Peta suddenly.

"I don't know... It's hard to determine... But Phantom is stronger than this, and you must understand... I'm sure Phantom will pull through..." Peta replied earnestly. "And if he does, you must promise on your life that you will NEVER utter a word of this to ANYONE... not even Phantom himself... Do I make myself clear?" he hissed threateningly. Rolan nodded his head at once, still focussing his wide puppy-dog eyes on Peta. "Good... Now, you may leave."

Rolan stood up, hastily obeying Peta, glad to be able to leave the maniacal man's presence. As he reached for the brass doorknob, Peta cleared his throat loudly, making Rolan freeze.

"And Rolan, dear... Phantom may not act... quite like himself for a few days... So please don't take anything he does to heart and report to me if he worries you about something... Okay?" Peta said sardonically.

"Er... All right..." Rolan agreed, turning the knob and opening the door, thinking; _I wonder what he means by that?_

**Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a wonderful day! I'll be back after Christmas as I'm going on a 5-day holiday! XD - LOve Regi**


	3. Paranoia

**I am NOT OOC-ing Phantom. He's ill... if anyone says that I'm OOC-ing Phantom, I'm going to hunt them down and... SLAP them:-**

Paranoia

The sudden knocking that rapped on Rolan's bedroom door late at night made Rolan jump and cover his face with the blankets. After a moments silence, however, Rolan peeked fearfully at the door. He calmed himself, thinking that what ever it was, it certainly has gone now. For all Rolan knew it could've just been someone dropping something upstairs.

He nearly fell off his bed when the knocks came again, this time louder and persistent than before. _Rolan lay frozen to his bed. Who could that be at this time of the night?_ he thought apprehensively, trembling with fear.

"Rolan? Are you awake? Let me in!" Phantoms rushed whisper stabbed through the silent night.

"Phantom? What are you doing?" Rolan demanded as he opened the door a crack to find Phantom standing before him.

"The... They're after me! Please let me in!" he squeaked, sounding like a terrified child.

"Er... Okay..." Rolan said, standing to the side to let Phantom in. Phantom rushed to Rolan's bed at once and dived under the bed covers. Rolan raised an eyebrow in uncertainty.

"Er... Phantom? Are you... er... okay?" he asked as Phantom lay, tremulous and twitchy in Rolan's bed.

"Of co... course I am!" Phantom replied in a resentful tone of voice.

"Then... um... Why are you here... in my bed?" Rolan questioned, frowning with bewilderment.

"Because... Team MAR are in my room, poisoning my mind with horrifying images and crippling thoughts that make me feel anxious... Rolan, they're going to KILL me... for good this time... I can just feel it in my bones... I'm going to die... and never... NEVER come back..." Phantom mumbled. Rolan sighed. He walked over to Phantom and crawled into bed next to him. He reached out and patted Phantom's head.

"Don't worry... I'm here," Rolan soothed, stroking Phantom's soft silver hair. Phantom closed his eyes and, cuddling close to Rolan, smiling lopsidedly with obvious content. He placed an arm around Rolan's petite form. With his eyes closed all the time, he placed his smooth pink lips to Rolan's rosy cheeks and kissed him lightly. Rolan blushed.

The warmth that radiated from Rolan attracted the cold-blooded zombie. He snuggled closer as if he wanted to steal Rolan's warmth... to suck it all out of him - like soda through a straw - so he could finally feel warm and alive, not cold and dead.

Rolan shifted uncomfortably in Phantom's icy grip, becoming deluged in the man's aura of chilliness, death and decay. He wrinkled his nose in revolt as a wave of Phantom's stench washed over him, invading his nostrils and causing his eyes to water.

No matter how hard Phantom tried - by masking it with cheap men's cologne or by washing himself twice daily with soaps that reeked of many assorted berries - he could never quite get rid of the smell of his rotting flesh. Rolan chocked inwardly as Phantom's arm tightened briefly around his waist.

"Good... Goodnight, Rol... Rolan," Phantom said, shuddering as he yawned twice.

"Goodnight, Phantom..." came Rolan's sleepy reply. Phantom's arm loosened its grip as he slipped into a complacent sleep. Every time he exhaled deeply Rolan's hair blew back, then forwards as Phantom breathed in.

Rolan let the cold minty-smelling breath wash over him, finding it surprisingly refreshing. He closed his weary eyes and let sleep take him into its warm arms.

* * *

When Rolan awoke the next morning, he got an unpleasant shock. He had quite forgotten about Phantom sleeping in his bed as he dreamed last night and waking with Phantom's serene face right next to his caused his heart to race. It took Rolan several heart-wrenching minutes to recall the events of last night. When he did, however, he calmed himself down and laughed quietly, feeling slightly shamed. He rested his forehead on Phantom's chest.

Phantom stirred and Rolan glanced up. Phantom's hazy purple eyes were glazed over with confusion and fatigue as he stared down at Rolan. He sluggishly removed his arm from Rolan's body and moved further from Rolan's body and moved further from Rolan with a bemused smile playing across his pale face.

"Er... Rolan? What am I doing in your bed?" Phantom asked with a mingle of mirth and intrigue trying to vie with the pronounced timorousness that shook his words.

Rolan opened his mouth to reply, but closed it at once. He remembered Peta's warning earlier on and shrugged his shoulders thinking, _If he's cured... I mustn't tell him... I promised Peta..._

"I have no idea. Sorry, Phantom," he replied in a dubious tone of voice, keeping his facial expression to know he was obviously lying.

"Hm... I must've sleep walked... or something..." Phantom pondered. He sat up and faintly blushed. He was topless and only wearing boxers.

Rolan felt his face burn and his eyes blinked hard. _What is he doing topless?! I can't remember him taking his clothes off...!_ his mind raced.

Phantom laughed to himself and got out of Rolan's bed.

"This is a joke, isn't it Rolan?" he asked, rapturously smiling, but his eyes remained cold and, Rolan noticed, filled with a suppressed rage that seemed to make Phantom's eyes boil.

"Er... no... I mean... I have no idea..." Rolan stammered.

By the contemptuous look that now blazed across Phantom's face, Rolan knew that what he had just said didn't go down well.

"Stop, Rolan. I know that this is a little practical joke of yours! Or is I something else? Is someone else doing this?" Phantom demanded. Rolan was cracking under the pressure.

"No! I mean... yes! No... I didn't mean... Maybe, I DON'T know!" he said, confounded. Phantom lashed out. Rolan had to duck as a streak of electrified light zoomed right past his head, colliding with the wall and blasting a hole in it.

Rolan rolled off the bed and coughed as a cloud of dust bellowed out from the newly-formed hole and swirled around the room, settling in piles on Rolan's shelves and bed.

"Rolan... Are you all right?" Phantom asked him, peering down at him. Rolan stared up at Phantom, shaking so badly that he had to steady himself.

"I...I...I guess... so..." Rolan replied, steadying himself.

"I'm so... I just don't know what to think..." Phantom said, sitting heavily on Rolan's messy bed and resting his head in his hands. "Just... go."

Rolan opened his mouth, about to point out that they were in fact in HIS room, but closed it quickly, deciding to retaliate was to provoke Phantom again, and frankly, Rolan didn't want more holes in his walls. So, instead, Rolan just turned around and hastily left the room.

He stood in the ice-cold stone hallway, shivering slightly, wondering what to do next. _I guess I should go find Peta..._ he thought, prancing down the hallway, humming to himself.


	4. Plans

Plans

Rolan ran down the hard, polished stairs, the sharp sound of his footfalls bounced off the cold walls and echoed throughout the empty staircase. The fire torches blazed brilliant orange, making the shadows and light flicker across his pale face. He came to the bottom of the stairs and peered down the hallway. The door at the end of the hall was ajar, spilling a warm light across the dusty floor.

Rolan crept slowly towards this door, feeling the dust in the air prickle his neck. He reached the door and poked his head around it.

The room beyond was cluttered with books upon books. The walls were covered with large shelves that started on the polished black stone floor and ended high up in the rafters in the cobwebby ceiling. Silver ladders on wheels stretched across these shelves for easy access. Two oil lamps glowed a healthy golden light as they sat on two long tables.

Rolan stepped into the library and was struck at once by the heavy silence that swirled like the dust outside in the air. He quietly closed the door behind him.

"Peta, sir? Are you here?" Rolan whispered, peering through the gloom. He spotted Peta's pointy hat at the far end of the library and made his way towards it.

He found Peta at a table with a large book in his hands. His small pupils swept from side to side as he read the book entitled, '_Mental Illnesses and Their Remedies.'_

"Er... Peta... Sir? It's me... Rol..." Rolan started, but Peta shushed him, not taking his eyes of the page he was reading at an astonishing speed.

Rolan pressed his lips together to avoid any noise from escaping them. Peta let out a long breath and put the book down.

Rubbing his eyes, he opened his gaping mouth and said in a croaky voice, "What is it that you want? Obviously it's something important, as you did just break a rule..."

Rolan flinched. He had completely forgotten that Peta's library was out-of-bounds.

"I'm sorry Peta..." Rolan started, but once again Peta interrupted him;

"Do not apologise, Rolan... It's a sign of weakness."

Rolan blushed furiously. Peta grinned and leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Ur... Yeah... Um... Peta?" Rolan stammered. Peta merely focussed his placid stare on him, grinning slightly.

"Urm... You told me to... report to you when he... Phantom, that is... when he does something that upsets me..." Rolan rambled.

"So... did he?" Peta asked after a long pause. Rolan blushed.

"He acted like a child... He was all... scared..."

"Ah. Then he must've been suffering from paranoia... The second phase must be in effect... When everything will seem a threat to his life in his mind..." He frowned and stared off into the distance as if lost in a deep thought. Rolan stood, uncomfortably shifting from foot to foot.

_I wonder what he is thinking about._ Rolan started to wonder as Peta sighed heavily and returned Rolan's gaze.

Rolan blinked and looked away. Peta's eyes frightened him slightly. It felt like that if Rolan stared long enough into those blank eyes, he would go completely insane.

"I've been thinking... and reading... up on nervous breakdowns... and I have reached a conclusion..." Peta blinked and smiled. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk and resting his head on his interlocked fingers. Rolan stepped back a bit, hating Peta's analysing stare.

"Phantom is a danger to himself... and to his reputation at the moment... I mean, we wouldn't want him to be caught this weak by one of his enemies..." Peta sighed. "Anyway, as I was saying... Phantom needs to be removed from the picture for now... We have two choices; lock him away... or give him a holiday."

Peta stared pointedly at Rolan, who started and briskly nodded, blushing again.

"So what do you think?" Peta asked Rolan, repeating his hidden question more clearly.

"Er..." Rolan squeaked, terrified by being asked such an important question. "I think he should go on holiday..."

"Yes... I quite agree... We can't have him waking up locked up in a room... He would be most displeased..." Peta trailed off, grinning sadistically. "Now... we must discuss... Who is going with him?"

"I will... You can stay here so you can oversee the War Games and manage the Chess... I only need to train... which I can do while I look after Phantom... And plus, it would be an honour to take care of the man that saved my life!" Rolan said, smiling like an innocent child.

Peta shuddered visibly.

"Good. Pack your things... You leave tomorrow."

"Ok! Thank you!" Rolan beamed and skipped from the room, leaving Peta feeling sick.


	5. Complete Breakdown!

Complete Breakdown

The view was beautiful; Rolan had to admit as he stared out from the window. He precariously looked up at the moon. No images played across its pearly white surface. No Games were on tonight.

Rolan sighed softly and turned his back on the magnificent view. He explored the room he was now in.

There were framed paintings of fruit and flowers tacked to the wall-papered walls. The fireplace was open and filled with grey ash. There were two bookshelves on one wall and by the wall opposite these was a large king-sized bed in which Phantom now lay.

_So this is Peta and Phantom's hang out?_ Rolan thought. _I wonder what they get up to in here all by themselves._ Rolan blushed as his mind turned on his sick imagination. He glanced guiltily at the bed. _I hope its safe..._

He walked across the soft carpet and sat on the springy bed next to Phantom's peaceful body. He took off his top and threw the blankets over his head, lying down wearily.

They had only just arrived that evening, as the sun was setting behind the hills and the sky blazed orange. Now, as Rolan snuggled down into the blankets, the stars in the night sky danced and winked as if to some unknown music...

* * *

The tweeting of birds roused Rolan the next morning. He opened his bleary eyes and yawned widely. The sight that reached his eyes took awhile to sink in.

"Ph... Ph... Phantom?" Rolan gasped.

Phantom smiled and bent over Rolan.

"Would you like some tea, sweetie-pie?" he asked in a sickly sweet voice quite unlike his usual haughty posh-sounding voice.

"Phantom...? Why are you wearing a dress?" Rolan cautioned.

It was true. Phantom stood, bare-footed, before him dressed in a black-and-white frilly maid's dress.

Phantom's face went blank briefly before he cracked a smile and gave a twirl. "Do you like it?" he questioned.

Rolan lay, stunned at the sight. _Phantom must be VERY ill..._ he thought.

Phantom turned and skipped to the window. When he looked out of it, he gasped in enormous shock. Rolan started and rushed to Phantom's side at once.

"What is it?!"

Phantom pointed up, his pale finger shaking with awe.

Rolan followed his finger. He was staring at the moon. On it was Peta's deathly paled face. His eyes were pooping slightly and his mouth was curved up into a toothy grin.

Rolan pushed open the window and heard Peta's calculating voice pierce the unusual silence.

"... I repeat that again; there will be no War Games for a week. Anyone who disagrees is most welcome to come to me and battle with me personally. That is all," and with that, Peta's image disappeared.

Phantom continued to stare awestruck at the moon. "Wh... Who was THAT man?" Phantom squeaked.

"Er... That's Peta... He's your... friend."

"Really?" Phantom clapped his hands together and beamed. "He's REALLY pretty!" He twirled around on the spot, looking around the room. "Is he going to come? We could have a tea party!"

Rolan smiled and nodded. "I hope so."

* * *

Reg: Oops! That was far too short!

Peta: So you fill up space by doing this pointless skit.

Reg: Shut up, Peta. Hits his head

Peta: Why you...! Starts to glow red

Reg: I'd stop if I was you... I wield the Pen.

Peta: Rolls his eyes Oh no! Not the Pen! In sarcastic voice

Reg: Pulls out a piece of paper and writes, 'and suddenly Peta turned into a frog.'

Peta: Turns into a frog Croak!

Reg: I warned you, Mr. Sarcastic.

Peta: Croak!

Rolan skips along and stops

Rolan: Ooh! Hello Regiathius-san!

Peta: Croak!

Rolan: Looks at the frog wearing a pointy hat Aw! It's so cute! Can I have it? It looks so much like someone I know!

Reg: Go ahead.

Peta: Eyes widen Crooooak!

Rolan: Oh goody! Picks up Peta and cuddles him tightly Thank you so much, Regiathius-san! Runs away with frog

Reg: Smirks evilly

Rolan: I wonder... If I kiss you, would you turn into a Prince? Kisses Peta-frog. There is a puff of green smoke and Peta is returned to his normal self. Aiyaaaa! Peta?!

Peta: Let's never discuss this ever again. Straightens his hat and sweeps away, leaving Rolan looking utterly bewildered

Sorry for this random pointless skit... It was here to entertain. (And as Peta said to fill up space lol XD)

And now for the next chapter!


	6. It Gets Worse Before It Gets Any Better

**Reg's Rambles**

Sorry it has taken me forever to write this story... It's just I hand write (Hard copy) every story then I type it up... I have been on holiday and trying to get over a few problems... If you must know, I nearly failed my exams and I'm not sure if I can continue my school courses... DX.  
Also, I admit, I started to become lazy and didn't want to finish this story. But I thought I had to, so here you go! Please read and review not only this story, but my other ones as well! And pm me if you want to suggest anything to me! I want to get better and also I am running out of FF ideas... And just for the record, I have finally seen episode 25 (ROLAN!!!!) and read books 2, 3,4,5,6, and 7 (manga)!!! Yay! So hopefully I can write FF about other ppl, because I only write Phantom FFS! I also need to write different pairings and I may even try to write a FF for another anime/manga or book... Please help me!  
Enough of babbling on about nothing in particular... On with the story, and remember:

It Gets Worse Before It Gets Any Better

Rolan watched Phantom with a mixture of awe, pity and fright as he rolled on the floor, playing with sock puppets. _Phantom MUST be completely insane now... I'm used to his 'I-want-to-take-over-the-world-and-kill-everyone-in-it' attitude... even though it still scares me... But this..._ Rolan was too overwhelmed for words.

"This is too much," he mumbled as Phantom giggled like a school girl.

"A beg your pardon?" Phantom spoke up, looking up at Rolan with unusual brightness.

"Wha-?"

"You shouldn't mumble... It's hard to hear you sometimes... And you make it harder when you mumble like that," he said.

"Er... Okay... Phantom? How are you? Are you happy?" Rolan questioned.

Phantom laughed in reply. "Oh, you! I'm fine... honestly," he said.

"Um... Tell me if you need anything, okay?" Rolan told Phantom, smiling weakly.

Phantom nodded. "I will... I promise."

* * *

"Rolan?"

Rolan snorted and jerked awake. He had drifted off to sleep on the sofa as he was watching a movie.

"Wha-?" he exclaimed, his eyes staring unfocused at Phantom. "Phant-tom?" he yawned.

"You told me to come to you if I needed something," Phantom explained.

Rolan blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked at the great knight that stood before him, bent over him so to see Rolan's face more clearly. He was still bare-footed and wearing that ridiculous frilly dress, but his face was paler and he was shuddering slightly.

"Whatisit?" Rolan asked, sitting bolt upright and glancing around the room, expecting an enemy to attack or something terribly horrifying to exist in the room with them.

The room was completely empty.

Rolan relaxed and blearily looked up at Phantom.

"What? Why are you trembling?" he stifled another yawn. He glanced over at the bed. It had been a wonderful nap...

"I... well... someone was knocking on the door..." Phantom said nervously, pointing at the door.

Rolan hastily got up and rushed to the door. He opened it.

No one was there.

Rolan stuck his head out of the door and searched the field outside for signs of a person.

No one was in sight.

"Phantom? There was no one..." Rolan trailed off as he turned around.

Phantom lay on the bed in a suggestive manner; his arms up beside him and his legs open.

Rolan stood frozen, as if he had been struck by lightning.

"Ph... Pha... Phan-?" Rolan stammered, his face burning.

"Rolan... Please come here..." Phantom whispered in a seductive tone.

"Er... um..." Rolan stuttered.

"Rolan, my sweetheart, you said... If there was anything that you could do... Well this is it..." Phantom uttered, his eyes were wet... pleading Rolan to come to him.

Rolan reluctantly moved towards him, gulping down the burning hotness that had sprung up in his throat. He had seen Phantom act like this before with Peta.

_Peta... I hope you come here soon..._ Rolan thought, imagining Peta's face leering at him. _Wait! He KNEW this was going to happen!_ he realised as he sat heavily on the bed, his face blank and burning, and his stomach boiling sickly. _He was reading that book... he knew that Phantom was going to become lusty... and the bastard didn't want to be caught out... he mustn't like it... he only pretends..._

"What is wrong?" Phantom asked Rolan, wrapping his arms around Rolan's motionless body.

"I don't... want..." Rolan mumbled, closing his eyes.

"I saved your life. I gave you power. I gave you my mark... the greatest gift that I could of EVER have given you. You even said so yourself... Remember... that night that you practically BEGGED me to give you my Zombie Tattoo..." Phantom whispered into Rolan's ear as he stroked his long mousy-brown hair.

"Mmm..." Rolan replied, feeling weak and helpless. Phantom was going to get what he wanted whether Rolan agreed to it or not.

"You owe me everything and anything..."

"Mm... um..." was all that Rolan could manage. There was no point stalling the inevitable.

"And there is one thing that I want from you... Your purity... I want you to be dirty like me..." Phantom rasped in a husky voice. "No matter how hard you scrub and wash... the water can never wash it away... And you'll be condemned to always be tainted... to always feel unclean... to feel like me..." Phantom said, his unbandaged hand fondling Rolan's cheek. He put his lips to Rolan's. He ran his tongue over them, enjoying the succulent warmness that radiated from Rolan.

He pulled Rolan's small body close to his.

"Phantom..." Rolan moaned in a mixture of enjoyment and fright.

Phantom carefully placed Rolan on the bed next to him. He put his legs on either side of Rolan and sat lightly on him. He leant forward and passionately kissed him while unbuttoning Rolan's shirt.

Rolan squealed, his eyes wide in shock. He just couldn't take it. He wasn't about to lose his purity like this. He pushed Phantom's chest, trying to get the heavy man off his insignificant body.

Phantom ignored Rolan's struggles and pushed his tongue deeper into Rolan's mouth. He pulled Rolan suffocatingly closer.

Rolan was choking on Phantom's coldness and stench. He couldn't breathe and the way Phantom kept squeezing him tighter and tighter against his ice-cold chest wasn't helping.

"Pha... Pha... I... can't... breathe..." Rolan gasped.

Phantom stopped and released Rolan. He sat up and looked down at the breathless boy below him. He felt himself blushing.

"You liked it..." Phantom pointed out.

"For a bit," Rolan admitted, "but that was until you were threatening to take my purity and suffocating me!"

Phantom laughed and lay back on top of Rolan. He began to lick Rolan's chest with his freezing tongue.

Rolan shuddered under Phantom's tongue. The coldness was freezing his very soul, but the way Phantom held him, the way Phantom licked him...

Everything Phantom had said... It was all true... Rolan DID owe him everything... and, somehow... Rolan clutched Phantom's head, enjoying every lick of Phantom's tongue. He moaned a little as Phantom sucked and bit on his neck.

Then there was a knock at the door which made Phantom jump with shock. He lost his balance and fell off the bed onto the ground with an enormous crash.

"Are you all right?!" Rolan exclaimed, rolling to the side of the bed and peering over it. Phantom lay on his back with a look of horror and shock on his face.

The door creaked open and Peta swept in. He froze when he sighted the scene before him. Rolan lay topless, panting and sweaty on the messy bed and Phantom lay, dazed, on the bedroom floor.

_I was too late. Phantom has, at last, reached the last stage... Poor Rolan..._ Peta thought. He kept his face blank, as he was the master of hiding his emotions.

"Rolan? What is Phantom doing on the ground?" he asked.

"Er... He fell off... sir," Rolan replied timorously.

"Ah. I see..." Peta said. He walked carefully towards Phantom. When he got there, he asked him, "Are you all right, my love?" in a gentle voice. Phantom muttered something in reply and sat up, holding his head.

"I'm sorry... Did I interrupt something?" Peta questioned Rolan as he helped Phantom up on his feet.

"Erm... No!" Rolan squealed, his face burning red.

Peta looked on the verge of a smart remark when Phantom said, "Peta?"

Peta adverted his gaze from Rolan and looked at Phantom.

"What is it, my dear?" he soothed.

"Where am I?"

"In our getaway..." Peta answered, raising an eyebrow at Rolan.

"Oh. Where was I?"

Phantom pushed Peta onto the bed, narrowly missing Rolan.

"Rolan... Leave please... For now... Phantom has been cured," Peta gasped as Phantom ripped off Peta's robes.

"O... O... Okay..." Rolan stuttered, rushing from the little hut.

"Now what?" he asked himself, sitting cross-legged on the grass. With Phantom cured and Peta making out with him it seemed that his adventure had drawn to an unexpected close.

-Note of explanation: Phantom hit his head and thought he was really making out with Peta. He didn't notice Rolan sitting topless next to him.


End file.
